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Regular guest and blogger from Liberal Oasis, Bill Scher.

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Recent Entries

• The Hidden Cost
• Bush's Bubble
• Honor the Fallen
• Flu Test
• post show post - Friday
• hour three - Friday
• hour two - Friday
• hour one - Friday
• Friday Open Thread
• post show post - Thursday

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December 12, 2005

The Hidden Cost

The Pentagon seems to be concealing Iraq's true casualty numbers.

From Salon:

Pentagon casualty reports show 2,390 service members dead from Iraq and Afghanistan and over 16,000 wounded. By far the vast majority of the wounded and dead are from Iraq.

But by Dec. 8, 2005, the military had evacuated another 25,289 service members from Iraq and Afghanistan for injuries or illnesses not caused directly by enemy bullets or bombs, according to the U.S. Transportation Command. That statistic includes everything from serious injuries in Humvee wrecks or other accidents to more routine illnesses that could be unrelated to field battles.

Yet those service members are not included in the Pentagon's casualty reports.

And that's just the beginning:

An October V.A. report shows that 119,247 service members who fought in Iraq or Afghanistan -- and are now off duty -- are receiving health care from the V.A. Presumably, some of those health problems are unrelated to the war.

But the statistics seem to show that a lot of those health problems are war-related. For example, nearly 37,000 have mental disorders, including nearly 16,000 who have been diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder. Over 46,000 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan receiving benefits from the V.A. have musculoskeletal problems. These are all veterans who within the last four years were considered by the military to be mentally and physically fit enough to fight.

Posted by not sam at 12:22 AM | Comments (329) | TrackBack (0)

December 11, 2005

Bush's Bubble

Is Bush's circle of trust a little too small?

From Newsweek:

His close friends agree that Bush likes comfort and serenity; he does not like dissonance. He has long been mothered by strong women, including his mother and wife. A foreign diplomat who declined to be identified was startled when Secretary of State Rice warned him not to lay bad news on the president. "Don't upset him," she said.

Posted by not sam at 11:51 AM | Comments (308) | TrackBack (0)

Honor the Fallen

Is this how it's done?

Dead heroes are supposed to come home with their coffins draped with the American flag -- greeted by a color guard.

But in reality, many are arriving as freight on commercial airliners -- stuffed in the belly of a plane with suitcases and other cargo

Posted by not sam at 02:51 AM | Comments (381) | TrackBack (0)

December 10, 2005

Flu Test

This morning, the White House held a flu pandemic fire drill to see just how prepared they actually are for a major influenza outbreak.

From the AP:

The four-hour drill at the White House complex involved Cabinet secretaries and top federal officials

White House deputy press secretary Trent Duffy would not discuss the scenario being used to test the government's response plans, such as whether a bioterrorism component was being considered beyond a natural spread of disease.

"It is part of the administration's effort to be ready and have the entire federal government ready to respond in the event of a pandemic," Duffy said. "It's a drill."

The entire federal government? But where was the president during the drill?

President Bush, though remaining at the White House for the weekend, did not participate. He went for a bike ride in suburban Maryland on a cold winter morning.

Naturally...

Posted by not sam at 11:20 AM | Comments (639) | TrackBack (0)

December 09, 2005

post show post - Friday

Thanks to:

Eric Alterman, author of When Presidents Lie: A History of Deception and its Consequences.

Political commentator Flavia Colgan.

Posted by not sam at 05:54 PM | Comments (542) | TrackBack (0)

hour three - Friday

Janeane checks in from Los Angeles.

Flavia, Boxcar Seder, and Company:

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What Sam and Janeane have been talking about this hour:

Raising Rice's profile.

Survey Says! Big Business has a PR problem.

Posted by not sam at 05:54 PM | Comments (163) | TrackBack (0)

hour two - Friday

Political commentator Flavia Colgan.

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What Sam has been talking about this hour:

Check out this database of Bush administration lies.

Posted by not sam at 05:54 PM | Comments (133) | TrackBack (0)

hour one - Friday

Eric Alterman, journalist, historian and bestselling author of When Presidents Lie: A History of Deception and its Consequences.

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What Sam has been talking about this hour:

Qaeda-Iraq link U.S. cited is tied to coercion.

Price Hikes on tap for 2006.

Venezuela heats the Bronx.

From the Boston Globe: Foreclosures up 35 percent this year.

Housing bubble bursts in the market for U.S. mortgage bonds.

Consumer Credit: Borrowing drops record amount.

Posted by not sam at 05:53 PM | Comments (107) | TrackBack (0)

Friday Open Thread

What's up?

Posted by not sam at 10:33 AM | Comments (322) | TrackBack (0)

December 08, 2005

post show post - Thursday

Thanks to:

John Aravosis, of Americablog, on the Ford Motor Company pulling ads from LGBT publications.

Bradley Whitford, from The West Wing.

Armando, who blogs for dailyKos.com.

Posted by not sam at 06:07 PM | Comments (410) | TrackBack (0)

hour three - Thursday

Armando, who blogs for dailyKos.com, talking with us about the latest news on the Alito nomination.

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What Sam has been talking about this hour:

Fun with the American Family Association:

Sam calls the AFA part one.

Sam calls the AFA part two.

Posted by not sam at 06:07 PM | Comments (76) | TrackBack (0)

hour two - Thursday

Bradley Whitford, Janeane's castmate from The West Wing, calling-in to talk with us about the IRS investigation of his church for anti-war activity.

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What Sam has been talking about this hour:

Check out this petition: We Need Action Not Cover-Ups

Posted by not sam at 06:06 PM | Comments (135) | TrackBack (1)

hour one - Thursday

John Aravosis, of Americablog, on the Ford Motor Company pulling ads from LGBT publications.

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What Sam has been talking about this hour:

House votes to extend tax cuts.

From the AP: House passes tax cut.

Posted by not sam at 06:06 PM | Comments (111) | TrackBack (0)

December 07, 2005

Buy the Duke's Stuff

The Duke's Stuff can be yours!:

These candleholders, along with Persian rugs, a silver candelabra, vases, armoires, French commode, end tables, mirrors, buffet table, leather sofa, sleigh-style bed and custom oak and leaded-glass doors will be up for auction next year under the government's asset forfeiture program. The Duke's dignity, however, will not be available. It's already been sold to the highest bidder.

Posted by not sam at 06:22 PM | Comments (268) | TrackBack (0)

post show post - Wednesday

Thanks to:

Andy Levin, Director of the AFL-CIO's Voice at Work program.

Kael Alford and Rita Leistner, photojournalists and authors of Unembedded.

Kamran Pasha, the writer of the new Showtime mini-series: Sleeper Cell.

Posted by not sam at 06:21 PM | Comments (442) | TrackBack (0)

hour three - Wednesday

Kamran Pasha, the writer of the new Showtime mini-series: Sleeper Cell.

Posted by not sam at 06:20 PM | Comments (415) | TrackBack (0)

hour two - Wednesday

Kael Alford and Rita Leistner, photojournalists and authors of Unembedded.

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What Sam has been talking about this hour:

Bush speech stresses Iraq's economic progress.

Sam recommends: Riverbend blog.

Check out Unembedded's website.

Posted by not sam at 06:20 PM | Comments (104) | TrackBack (0)

hour one - Wednesday

Andy Levin, Director of the AFL-CIO's Voice at Work program here to discuss International Human Rights Day.

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What Sam has been talking about this hour:

Air Marshals kill passenger who claimed to have a bomb.

Congress nixed Air Marshal training.

9/11 panel: US not safe.

Fitzgerald presents new info to grand jury.

From the Huffington Post: The Terror Verdict TV Networks Ignored.

New CBS News poll.

From the AP: Records show Burns-Abramoff meetings.

Posted by not sam at 06:08 PM | Comments (77) | TrackBack (0)

Wednesday Open Thread

What's on your mind?

Posted by not sam at 10:15 AM | Comments (300) | TrackBack (0)

December 06, 2005

post show post - Tuesday

Thanks to:

Scott Ritter, former UN Weapons Inspector and author of Iraq Confidential.

Markos Moulitsas of dailyKos.com.

Fighting Dem Eric Massa.

Check out the Fighting Dems ActBlue site.

Posted by not sam at 07:31 PM | Comments (530) | TrackBack (0)

hour three - Tuesday

Markos Moulitsas of dailyKos.com, a regular guest and blogger, and our next Fighting Dem, live in studio: Eric Massa, a veteran running for Congress in New York's 29th District.

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What Sam has been talking about this hour:

See Scott Ritter debate Christopher Hitchens! Air America's own Laura Flanders moderates. Click here for more info.

Red Cross and Crescent meet to make new sign crystal clear.

Check out the Fighting Dems ActBlue site.

Posted by not sam at 07:29 PM | Comments (129) | TrackBack (0)

hour two - Tuesday

Scott Ritter, former UN Weapons Inspector and author of Iraq Confidential.

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What Sam has been talking about this hour:

Bush takes economy credit.

From the NYT: Paul Krugman on The Joyless Economy.

Republicans and the AMT.

Verizon to cut manager's pensions.

Posted by not sam at 07:29 PM | Comments (158) | TrackBack (0)

hour one - Tuesday

When in doubt, surround yourself with people in uniform:

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What Sam has been talking about this hour:

Lieberman calls for bipartisan war cabinet.

From the WSJ: Lieberman's editorial entitled "Our Troops Must Stay"

Dean on the Iraq War.

Arab nations deeply suspicious of U.S. motives.

Posted by not sam at 06:58 PM | Comments (129) | TrackBack (0)

FUN WITH THE AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION

As AMERICAblog continues it's great campaign against automaker Ford for caving to the ultra-right American Family Association, we thought we'd bring back Sam's past calls to that same religious group. You remember, back when they went after super gay cartoons like the movie Shark Tale, and not super gay cars. Or whatever. Those were the days.

Sam calls the AFA part one.

Sam calls the AFA part two.

Posted by not sam at 03:49 PM | Comments (142) | TrackBack (0)

Strip Search Sammy lying about his own father?!?!

We know Sam Alieto has lied to the senate three times in 1990 when he promised to recuse himself from cases involving his siter's law firm, vangaurd securities and smith barney, and subsequently didn't recuse himself in any of those three circumstances, but to lie about your dad? Just to sell yourself?

If this is true, this guy is dark.

Posted by majority at 01:40 AM | Comments (398) | TrackBack (0)

December 05, 2005

post show post - Monday

Thanks to:

Writer/director Stephen Gaghan.

Proprietor of the blog Liberal Oasis, Bill Scher.

Posted by not sam at 06:20 PM | Comments (394) | TrackBack (0)

hour three - Monday

Regular guest and blogger from Liberal Oasis, Bill Scher.

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What Sam has been talking about this hour:

Congress Researchers Fault EPA Studies.

Hackett Sticks to Ohio Senate Run.

9/11 Panel says U.S. remains unprepared.

Bill Scher's Blog Picks:

Talk To Action

Campaign To Defend the Constitution

Truthdig

Posted by not sam at 06:19 PM | Comments (159) | TrackBack (0)

hour two - Monday

On this hour:

Janeane Garofalo calls in from Los Angeles.

Writer/director Stephen Gaghan here to talk about his new film Syriana.

Posted by not sam at 06:19 PM | Comments (120) | TrackBack (0)

hour one - Monday

I know. It's Monday. Here, this'll make you feel better:

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What Sam has been talking about this hour:

FBI's Sham Candidate.

From the New York Times: Judge Alito and Abortion.

DeLay faces trial, after motion to dismiss rejected.

On their own in battered New Orleans.

Federal proposal faces limits on foreign scientists.

Posted by not sam at 06:17 PM | Comments (73) | TrackBack (0)

NEWS CORP. THROWING HOLIDAY PARTY

In case you missed it Friday night, a listener called The Majority Report from within the Fox News building to inform us that he was holding an invitation to the News Corp. Holiday Party. We were shocked. Finally some good news: we're winning the War on Christmas.

Posted by not sam at 10:15 AM | Comments (462) | TrackBack (0)

December 04, 2005

Secret Prisons

In today's Washington Post, a lengthy article details the mistaken imprisionment of a German citizen at one of the CIA's secret prisons. The whole tale is harrowing and horrifying, but this particular paragraph about the CIA's Rendition group caught our eye:

Members of the Rendition Group follow a simple but standard procedure: Dressed head to toe in black, including masks, they blindfold and cut the clothes off their new captives, then administer an enema and sleeping drugs. They outfit detainees in a diaper and jumpsuit for what can be a day-long trip. Their destinations: either a detention facility operated by cooperative countries in the Middle East and Central Asia, including Afghanistan, or one of the CIA's own covert prisons -- referred to in classified documents as "black sites," which at various times have been operated in eight countries, including several in Eastern Europe.

SOP? That's standard practice? I wonder what happens on an off day...

Posted by not sam at 10:56 PM | Comments (362) | TrackBack (0)

Sunday Open Thread

What's on your mind?

Posted by not sam at 01:54 PM | Comments (577) | TrackBack (0)